Some Common Mistakes People Make When Buying a Car

When most people make the decision to go and get themselves a new car, they go in with the thought of getting the best possible car for the lowest possible price. Not a bad goal, but when they get to the dealership, their actions are usually in direct opposition to what they want to achieve.

Here are some common mistakes people make when buying a car and how you may be able to avoid them.

Narrowing Your Focus

You may have your mind set on a specific brand or a specific model, but by narrowing your focus too much, you will often miss out on many other options. If you are only looking at three or four certain cars, but there are really ten that meet the specifications you want, you’re going to miss out when it comes to the best car at the lowest price. Expand your vision and you will benefit.

Thinking Only of the Monthly Payment

When you are formulating a budget for your car, you’re probably going to figure out how much you can afford each month. When you do this, you may end up spending more on the total price than you needed to or wanted to. Keep what you want in a car on the top of your mind, then think about the total price. Make financing the last step in the equation, after you’ve satisfied the other two requirements.

Being Impatient

Patience is still a virtue, and if you aren’t willing to show any when you’re buying a car you might miss out on a great deal. Statistically, only a very small percentage of people will special order or wait for a car to be delivered. And that probably isn’t because car dealerships are always stocked with exactly what people want.

Buying a car is a major purchase, so don’t settle. If the car you really want can’t be there for a week, wait a week. It will be worth it in the end.

Not Test Driving the Car

The thought that some people actually purchase a car without driving it first seems absurd, but it really does happen. Even if you’ve owned a similar car or the same car in the past, take it for a thorough test drive first. This car is different and it might handle differently.

Drive the car in as many situations as you see in your daily life as you possibly can. Get on the highway if you take it to work, drive to the store, the soccer field or wherever. You need to know that this car is going to be comfortable and drive how you want it to drive.

This post is brought to you by John Harrision, a new car buyer in the Airdrie area. When looking for Honda car models at great prices, he recommends www.airdriehonda.ca/